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Innovation and Incentive

Innovation and invention are two separate things, but they're related.

Innovation is about actually solving problems.  Figuring out how to do it, then actually doing it. Of, course, that's easier said than done.

InnoCentive has found an interesting way of doing it.  They post challenges -- problems that people are looking to solve -- on their web site, and offer cash prizes for solutions.

So far, Innocentive has over 140,000 registrered "solvers," people who have domain knowledge in nearly every realm of science and engineering. 

Many of the challenges posted on Innocentive are focused on solving problems faced by the developing world.  For problem solvers, Innocentive offers a chance to do well by doing good.

InnoCentive just announced their 2007 Top Solver Awards, honoring  11 individuals who, in 2007, solved more than two challenges or earned $50,000 or higher for their winning solutions. These solvers come from seven countries and their ideas have contributed to innovations in engineering, chemistry, life sciences, and more.

Here's a video by the CEO of SunNight Solar, a company that provides lighting products for the developing world.  InnoCentive helped him connect with the best and the brightest minds in the world, and solve problems in totally unexpected ways.

 

Here are my questions:  Are there challenges in the CAD industry that InnoCentive solvers could tackle?  Are there Innocentive challenges that those of us in the CAD industry could help solve?

Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 03:24PM by Registered CommenterEvan Yares in | Comments2 Comments

Reader Comments (2)

Despite the inexhaustible excitement of the marketing departments, (IMHO) today CAD software still in a very primitive stage leaving plenty of opportunities to innovators. At the same time, I'm not sure the problems CAD developers are trying to solve can be easily packaged to fit into the InnoCentive business model. Many of the solutions will require changes in the way designers work, communicate and will likely impact or be impacted by the manufacturing process. Definitely not something you can wrap up for the InnoCentive website.
April 30, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterFranco Folini
I think there is a big opportunity in these idea exchange sites, but there are decidedly first generation right now in that all of the request for ideas and responses are simple text. When things progress to the next level and the requests are in the form of structured requirements (making it easier to see which responses meet those requirements by applying rules on on the back end) and structured responses (models, analysis, math data) then I think it will heat up alot.
May 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterChris

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